What Club to Use for a Short Shot Out of Very Deep Rough?

[MarvChamp]

The situation is: Ball lands on a steep mound to right of green in fairly thick deep 12" Bermuda grass. Ball is about 6" in the grass. Downhill lie. Shot must go 15 yards over a greenside bunker onto green. No other options as there are other mounds to right and left of bunker. What club would you use. (I took a might swing with a sand wedge...wrong I think...and popped it out into the bunker.) Thanks, -Marv

[phillyk]

11 minutes ago, MarvChamp said:

The situation is: Ball lands on a steep mound to right of green in fairly thick deep 12" Bermuda grass. Ball is about 6" in the grass. Downhill lie. Shot must go 15 yards over a greenside bunker onto green. No other options as there are other mounds to right and left of bunker. What club would you use. (I took a might swing with a sand wedge...wrong I think...and popped it out into the bunker.) Thanks, -Marv

When it's thick like that, I use a PW or there abouts.  The times I've tried LW or SW, I either hit it well or go right underneath the ball.  Your not looking to get it close to the pin at this point, so grab the PW and just pop it out.

[Lihu]

15 minutes ago, MarvChamp said:

The situation is: Ball lands on a steep mound to right of green in fairly thick deep 12" Bermuda grass. Ball is about 6" in the grass.

Are you in FL by any chance? 12" as described as "fairly" or "somewhat" kind of invokes the feeling that you're deep in the everglades playing golf among the alligators. . .

 

Quote

Downhill lie. Shot must go 15 yards over a greenside bunker onto green. No other options as there are other mounds to right and left of bunker. What club would you use. (I took a might swing with a sand wedge...wrong I think...and popped it out into the bunker.) Thanks, -Marv

Hit the shot as hard as you can and hope (so, I'd say your outcome was pretty good given the circumstance) that it lands in the bunker.

Did your club get stuck in the grass?

Edited September 25, 2017 by Lihu

[Hacker James]

Hard to say without actually seeing it, but if were me, I would more than likely take a lofted hybrid, choke down on it with descending angle and pop it out. The hybrid is less likely to twist in the grass. In the past, if I tried to use a sand wedge, a lot of times, the wedge would "grab" the ball on its way out and snag it right back down into the grass.

 

 

[MarvChamp]

1 minute ago, Lihu said:

Are you FL by any chance? 12" as described as "fairly" or "somewhat" kind of invokes the feeling that you're deep in the everglades playing golf among the alligators. . .

 

Hit the shot as hard as you can and hope that it lands in the bunker.

Hehheh! On this particular Texas course, this short little par 4 might as well be protected by alligators! And I did what you said! -Marv

3 minutes ago, Hacker James said:

Hard to say without actually seeing it, but if were me, I would more than likely take a lofted hybrid, choke down on it with descending angle and pop it out. The hybrid is less likely to twist in the grass. In the past, if I tried to use a sand wedge, a lot of times, the wedge would "grab" the ball on its way out and snag it right back down into the grass.

 

 

Yeah, it definitely called for a club that would get through the grass. I should have reached for a stronger lofted club as you said. I hope I'm never there but if I am, I'll try it! Thanks, -Marv

7 minutes ago, phillyk said:

When it's thick like that, I use a PW or there abouts.  The times I've tried LW or SW, I either hit it well or go right underneath the ball.  Your not looking to get it close to the pin at this point, so grab the PW and just pop it out.

My mind said get it close! -Marv

[Buckeyebowman]

24 minutes ago, Lihu said:

Are you in FL by any chance? 12" as described as "fairly" or "somewhat" kind of invokes the feeling that you're deep in the everglades playing golf among the alligators. . .

 

Hit the shot as hard as you can and hope (so, I'd say your outcome was pretty good given the circumstance) that it lands in the bunker.

Did your club get stuck in the grass?

That was exactly my thought! Where in God's name are you playing? Is the rough that deep intentionally, or don't the owners want to spend the money and time to keep it mowed! They sure don't seem to have a problem keeping it watered. There's less penal rough on U.S, Open courses!

I thought about opening the face and playing it like a bunker shot, but if the ball is 6" down in 12" high rough, there's a lot of air under it. And it's a downhill lie to boot?

I'd say you are well and truly screwed! If you can scrape it out anywhere on the green, count yourself lucky!

[MarvChamp]

2 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

That was exactly my thought! Where in God's name are you playing? Is the rough that deep intentionally, or don't the owners want to spend the money and time to keep it mowed! They sure don't seem to have a problem keeping it watered. There's less penal rough on U.S, Open courses!

I thought about opening the face and playing it like a bunker shot, but if the ball is 6" down in 12" high rough, there's a lot of air under it. And it's a downhill lie to boot?

I'd say you are well and truly screwed! If you can scrape it out anywhere on the green, count yourself lucky!

Hahah! Yeah, the rough is there intentionally. The course is Split Rail in Aledo, TX, a nice course. The hole is very short dogleg left. A bomber could probably drive it. The drive is across a deep creek through about a 50-76 yard narrow chute of very tall trees where it opens to a narrow fairway. Left are trees and the meandering creek. Right is open but front and right are bunkers. Steep, 12-15' mounds intentionally guard the right and the back of the green. These have the deep grass to trap the wayward ball (mine). Anyway, quite a hole. This is the second time I've had the problem. I may have done well to pop it in the trap, I guess! -Marv

[Mr. Desmond]

1 hour ago, MarvChamp said:

The situation is: Ball lands on a steep mound to right of green in fairly thick deep 12" Bermuda grass. Ball is about 6" in the grass. Downhill lie. Shot must go 15 yards over a greenside bunker onto green. No other options as there are other mounds to right and left of bunker. What club would you use. (I took a might swing with a sand wedge...wrong I think...and popped it out into the bunker.) Thanks, -Marv

That's deep, even for Texas. Since it's downhill, you can have some loft - might try sand or lob wedge - a pro taught me a shot that can work. You've got to line yourself up so your shoulders are parallel to the hill. Take a normal grip and then open the face completely by turning your wrists clockwise. Swing steeply and downwards with force to cut through the grass - the face will close back to square- should pop it up. Haven't tried it on a downhill lie - but the ball is going to come out lower from that lie and with that rough, which is why I'd try it with a 58-60 first. It's a tough shot with the ball being held up in the grass - that's one I'd have to practice if I played that course.

Edited September 25, 2017 by Mr. Desmond

[MarvChamp]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Desmond said:

You've got to line yourself up so your shoulders are parallel to the hill. Take a normal grip and then open the face completely by turning your wrists clockwise. Swing steeply and downwards with force to cut through the grass - the face will close back to square- should pop it up.

Got it!  Mound is steep so shoulders may have been close to parallel but probably not. And I didn't open the clubface more than a smidgen. And my strength factor sure wasn't enough. I will remember the tip. Thanks, -Marv

[Mr. Desmond]

9 hours ago, MarvChamp said:

Got it!  Mound is steep so shoulders may have been close to parallel but probably not. And I didn't open the clubface more than a smidgen. And my strength factor sure wasn't enough. I will remember the tip. Thanks, -Marv

And don't open it the normal way, which is to take your hands off the club, then open, the regrip. Take a grip with the club square, then open it up with your wrists. Try it both ways and see which works. The unusual way was taught by a guy who taught Tour players.

[jamo]

I'll take a lob wedge - as much loft as I can get.

[saevel25]

Lob wedge. A downhill lie will decrease the launch angle. If you were in 12" of rough then it's just hit and pray at that point.

[MarvChamp]

56 minutes ago, Mr. Desmond said:

And don't open it the normal way,

Got it! I'll give it a try! But I will try not to get there again. -Marv

[David in FL]

Even though you try to describe the exact shot, I'd still have to actually see it to really judge the lie and possibilities.  In all likelihood, it's going to be either my SW or LW. 

Next time, I'll take more care not to hit it there in the first place!  

[MarvChamp]

12 hours ago, David in FL said:

Even though you try to describe the exact shot, I'd still have to actually see it to really judge the lie and possibilities.  In all likelihood, it's going to be either my SW or LW. 

Next time, I'll take more care not to hit it there in the first place!  

Yeah, I tried the sand wedge and lobbed it in the bunker. Probably not enough strength to swing fully through the grass.  At least I feel like I didn't do anything better golfers wouldn't do...except putting the ball in that grass-suspended state in the first place!  -Marv

[Buckeyebowman]

Wow! I can't stand 4" rough around the greens on my local courses!

[MarvChamp]

43 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

Wow! I can't stand 4" rough around the greens on my local courses!

Yeah, me too. As I think of it, the course uses these tall, steep mounds in other places too, notably to the left of a short par 3. Been there too! The mounds are to protect players etc on the other side, maybe. Anyway, as David in FL said...Stay outa there! -Marv

[Buckeyebowman]

If you might miss, you better know where to miss!